In October and November 2023, audiences were captivated by Patterns from Nature, a groundbreaking multimedia project that blended physics, film, and music. Physicist Stephen Morris, along with filmmakers Udo Prinsen, Gita Blak, Lee Hutzulak, Tina de Groot, and composer/saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff, explored the scientific concept of emergent patterns through a four-movement work inspired by Branches, Flow, Cracks, and Ripples. These areas were inspired, in part, by Philip Ball’s books on patterns in nature.
Performed by a dynamic chamber ensemble combining jazz and classical elements, the project featured virtuosic performances from world-class musicians, including clarinetist François Houle, the Molinari String Quartet (violinists Olga Ranzenhofer and Antoine Bareil, violist Frédéric Lambert, and cellist Pierre-Alain Bouvrette), pianist Matt Mitchell, pianist Santiago Leibson, bassist Carlo De Rosa, drummer Satoshi Takeishi, trombonist Ryan Keberle, saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff, and conductor JC Sanford. The ensemble also premiered Nachoff’s saxophone concerto Winding Tessellations, adding another layer of innovation to the project.
The performances, held at Hunter College in New York City and the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto, transported audiences on an immersive journey into the wonders of natural patterns, offering a rich sensory experience that pushed the boundaries of artistic collaboration.
This project was made possible through the generous support of The Canada Council for the Arts, the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec, the University of Toronto Department of Physics, Délégation générale du Québec à New York, and ArtSci Salon.
New York City Ensemble (October 16, 2023, at Hunter College)
Flutist Roberta Michel, clarinetist François Houle, saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff, bassoonist Sara Schoenbeck, trumpeter Tony Kadleck, French horn player John Clark, trombonist Ryan Keberle, percussionist Aaron Edgcomb, pianist Matt Mitchell, bassist Carlo De Rosa, drummer Satoshi Takeishi, violinist Olga Ranzenhofer, violinist Antoine Bareil, violist Frédéric Lambert, cellist Pierre-Alain Bouvrette, conductor JC Sanford.
Toronto Ensemble (November 4, 2023, at Isabel Bader Theatre)
Flutist Camille Watts, clarinetist François Houle, saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff, bassoonist Peter Lutek, trumpeter Jason Logue, French horn player David Quackenbush, trombonist Ryan Keberle, percussionist Mark Duggan, pianist Santiago Leibson, bassist Carlo De Rosa, drummer Satoshi Takeishi, violinist Olga Ranzenhofer, violinist Antoine Bareil, violist Frédéric Lambert, cellist Pierre-Alain Bouvrette, conductor JC Sanford.
Quinsin Nachoff is a New York-based saxophonist and composer celebrated for his innovative blend of jazz and classical traditions. His work spans boundary-pushing albums, interdisciplinary collaborations, and critically acclaimed compositions that explore the dynamic relationship between structure and improvisation.
Notable highlights include his JUNO-nominated group Flux, featuring alto saxophonist David Binney, pianist Matt Mitchell, and drummers Kenny Wollesen and Nate Wood. Their second release, Path of Totality (Whirlwind Recordings), was praised by DownBeat as “a stunning, deep dive of an album” and earned 4.5 stars in their Year’s Top Rated Albums list. Additional accomplishments include the saxophone concerto Winding Tessellations with contemporary chamber group Turning Point Ensemble and his 2018 commission for the Molinari String Quartet, showcasing his seamless integration of jazz and classical traditions.
Nachoff’s 2020 release, Pivotal Arc (Whirlwind Recordings), showcased his genre-blending approach, featuring a violin concerto for Grammy-winning soloist Nathalie Bonin, a string quartet, and a large ensemble piece. His 2023 album, Stars and Constellations (Adhyâropa Records), was described by JazzTrail as “Finding an exceptional connection between improvisation and notated music, Nachoff continues to forge a path of his own, moving in a revelatory line of action that separates him from other creatives.” The album features Nachoff with bassist Mark Helias, drummer Dan Weiss, the Bergamot Quartet, and the Rhythm Method string quartets.
Nachoff’s multimedia project Patterns From Nature bridges music, physics, and film in a collaboration with physicist Dr. Stephen Morris and filmmakers Udo Prinsen, Gita Blak, Lee Hutzulak, and Tina de Groot. The project draws on scientific insights to inspire artistic expression. Scored for a chamber orchestra blending classical and jazz traditions with featured soloists, the project premiered in October 2023 at Hunter College, NYC, and in November 2023 at Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto.
Most recently, Nachoff co-led The Way of Water, a project with Juno award-winning pianist Florian Hoefner, which premiered in Montreal in October 2024, blending string orchestra, jazz ensemble, and additional winds and percussion to explore the ecological and societal impacts of water.
Through his work, Nachoff bridges tradition and innovation, crafting music that integrates diverse influences and collaborations, from orchestral compositions to multimedia projects.
http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/~smorris
Stephen Morris is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physics at the University of Toronto. With a Ph.D. earned in 1991 from the University of Toronto, as well as an M.Sc. and B.Sc. from the University of British Columbia in 1985 and 1981 respectively, Dr. Morris has had a long and varied academic journey. His dedication to teaching excellence has been widely recognized, earning him the 2003 APUS/SAC award for outstanding teaching and the 2004 Faculty of Arts and Science Outstanding Teaching Award. Dr. Morris has extended his academic pursuits internationally, serving as a Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall, Cambridge University, from November 2005 to July 2006, and as a Senior Visiting Fellow at The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematics, Cambridge University, in 2005. Notably, Dr. Morris was honored as a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2012 and held the distinguished title of J. Tuzo Wilson Professor of Geophysics from 2014 to 2019. His dynamic research interests encompass a wide array of topics, including experimental nonlinear physics, icicle morphology, fluid dynamics, granular media, and the intriguing intersection of physics with art.
Beyond his career in Physics, Morris has explored the frontier between art and science, capturing the beauty of patterns through photography. His images and videos, informed by the aesthetics of nonlinear physics, delve into the intricate relationship between order and complexity within emergent patterns. Through gallery exhibitions, collaborations, and performances, Morris seamlessly bridges the gap between art and science, celebrating the captivating allure of patterns in both the natural and laboratory worlds.
Featuring pianist Matt Mitchell (NYC) and Santiago Leibson (Toronto)
Tina de Groot is an animator based in the Netherlands. After graduating from the University of Arts in Utrecht she has worked independently on various artistic projects. She loves to work with her hands, instead of a computer, so most of her work is hand-painted frame-by-frame animation. She uses oil paint on a glass table, and just like traditional animation, takes a picture for each drawing. Animating with oil paint is intuitive work and she enjoys the spontaneous nature of the outcome. She is currently working on a short film, The Little Violin, about a little boy from Syria that travels the sea on his violin.
leehutzulak.com
Lee Hutzulak’s interest in making video started in the early 90s at art college, shooting 8mm film and Video 8 for his recording project/band Dixie’s Death Pool. A couple decades later, with the advent of affordable, powerful personal computers, tiny digital video cameras and Youtube as a platform, a return to the medium felt relevant. Since 2008 he has put up hundreds of videos on YT. While most are simple documents of live music performance, some incorporate additional footage shot by Lee and special fx using both software and real world, physical techniques. Some pieces, like the video for “Bounce”, are companion works of art using composition, movement, light, colour and texture to echo elements in the music. Check out his Leisure Thief channel on YT.
www.gitablak.com
Željka Blakšić AKA Gita Blak is an interdisciplinary artist and educator who works with performance, 16mm film, video, and installation. She was born in Zagreb (ex-Yugoslavia) and is currently based in New York City. Her work often stems from the subculture of the 1990s-era in Croatia, when punk, anarcho and eco movements were having a renewal. Resistance manifested itself through the cooperation and gathering of different alternative social groups. This experimental environment became a university of rebellion–a key force, giving voice to new expressions of democracy, justice, common values and free speech. Blaksic often collaborates with members of different subcultures, activists, schoolgirls, singers, urbanists, and students, creating sites and praxis of collectivity. Using pedagogical methodologies within the context of contemporary art she organizes workshops, creates publications, makes films and exhibitions.
Recent exhibitions include “It Won’t Be Long Now, Comrades!” curated by Inga Lāce & Katia Krupennikova at Framer Framed in Amsterdam; “The Witnessing Event” curated by Rashmi Viswanathan at Los Sures Museum in NY; “BROUHAHA” project at Recess SOHO; “Claim Space” performance at Museum of Modern Art, NY; Artizen Cluj, Romania; BRIC Contemporary Art Gallery, NY; Gallery Augusta, Helsinki; District Kunst- und Kulturförderung, Berlin; AIR Gallery, NY; Active Space, NY; Urban Festival in Croatia; Gallery of SESI, Sao Paolo, Brazil; The Kitchen, NY and The Khyber Center for the Arts in Canada. She was a recipient of the Residency Unlimited & National Endowment for the Arts Award 2017, New York USA; Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto Residency 2017, Biella, Italy; MuseumsQuartier Program/ Q21 2017, Vienna, Austria; Recess Session commission 2016, New York USA; A.I.R. Gallery Fellowship Program for emerging women artists 2014/15, New York USA; The District Kunst Award 2013, Berlin; New York Foundation for the Arts Residency 2012, Paula Rhodes Award 2010, New York USA, and many others. Most recently she was a resident at Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, UAE.
Udo Prinsen (The Netherlands, 1974) started his career as an animation designer. Having learned many tricks of the trade at Rocketship Animation in Vancouver, Canada late 90’s, he started working as a creator of identity for television and film. In 2000 Prinsen moved to England for The Bristol Animation Course, which was set up by Aardman Animations, the creators of Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run. He spent a year in England working for Phew TV!/BBC Education and other production companies and always worked on independent projects on the side. His short film Audition was created with the musical help of Eric Vloeimans and Martin Fondse. Audition has led to many more short films, educational publications and art projects like the musical film Into Spring, which was made in collaboration with Han Bennink and LOOK! a short film inspired by Dutch Sign Language.
More recently Udo is exploring different ways of (visual) storytelling. Examples are the audio book Last Words in collaboration with Amsterdam Forest, Shapes of Time an exhibit, art book and musical show based on long exposure photographs created during a Dutch scientific polar expedition to Svalbard and Wood, a cultural exchange in wood design celebrating the friendship between the cities of Utrecht (NL) and Portland (OR, USA)
